Cushion-tire for vehicle-wheels



(No Model.)

A. E. SPENCER. CUSHION TIRE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS.

No. 569,523. Patented Oct. 13, 1896.

HEMW UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. SPENCER, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

CUSHION-TIRE FOR VEHICLE-WH EELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,523 dated October13, 1896.

Application filed January 21, 1896. Serial No. 576,337. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ALBERT E. SPENCER, a citizen of the Unit-ed States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cushion-Tires forVehicle- \Vheels,of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in cushion-tires forvehicle-wheels,but more particularly designed for use in bicyclewheels.

The object of the invention is to provide a cushion-tire which will doaway with the use of the ordinary so-called pneumatic tire and provide atire that is durable, light in weight, and cheap to make, and one thatcannot be punctured and rendered. inoperative.

The invention consists of the novel fea tures of constructionhereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed outin the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a front view partly broken away.Fig. 2 is part of a front view on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is part of arear view. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

a a denote the spokes of ordinary construction, the outer ends of whichare securely fastened to the inner rim I), which has twooutwardly-projecting flanges I) and b the latter being provided withslots 0 c. This inner rim is made, preferably, of thin steel, light inweight, and integral with the flanges b and b (1 denotes the outer rim,having two inwardly-projecting flanges d and (P. This rim is also made,preferably, of thin steel, light in weight, and integral with theflanges (Z and (P.

c 6 denote flat elliptically-shaped springs, made, preferably, of thinsteel and slightly upturned at their outer ends. These springs aresecurely bolted at their central points to the inner rim 6 by bolts orrivets e, and correspond in shape at those points to the shape of theoutside of said inner rim. The outer ends of said springs rest upon theinner side of the outer rim (Z, and are so shaped as to exactly fit ontosaid rim and at the same time be free to expand in a longitudinaldirection.

f is a guard-plate securely bolted to the flange (F. This guard,together with the inner and outer rims and their respective flanges,forms a fhousing, so to speak, for the springs and prevents dirt andother for eign substances from entering and clogging the springs.

g g are bolts which pass through the guard f, the slots 0 c, and theflange d, and bind these parts securely together.

The flange d and the guard f fit tightly over and around the flanges band I), respectively, but at the same time not so tightly as to preventthe vertical telescopic movement of the outer rim together with itsflanges and guard, as hereinafter described.

The outer rim (1 is slightly concave in shape, so that the tread or tireh, of rubber or other suitable material, may be more easily heldthereon.

When pressure is brought to bear upon the springs e 6, these springsyield and permit the outer rim, together with its flanges and guard, tomove inwardly or in a vertical direction over the flanges b and b afterthe manner of a telescope, the bolts g 9 moving in unison with saidparts by reason of the slots a c in the flange 11 thus giving to thetire the quality of a cushion, such as is attained by the use of theordinary pneumatic tire.

The slots 0 0 permit the outer rim to move in a vertical direction andthus prevent the outer rim from slipping around the springs, which itmight otherwise have a tendency to do, for example, when climbing ahill. The bolts g g are so arranged that each bolt tends to pressagainst the outer side near the center of said springs and thus tend toprevent the slipping, above referred to, when pressure is exerted on thesprings.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of the inner rim I), havingflanges l) and b the outer rim (2-, having flanges cl and (1 the guardf, with means as described for binding the parts together and preventingthe outer rim from slipping around the inner rim, the

springs e, inclosed Within said parts, and the tread h, to form acushion-tire, substantially as described.

2. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of the inner rim 1), havingflanges b and b the outer rim (1 having flanges cl and (1 the guard f,with means as described for binding the parts together and preventingthe outer rim from slipping around the inner rim, the springs ein'closed Within said parts,said outer rim and its adjacent partsarranged to move over the flanges of the inner rim after the manner of atelescope, and the tread h, to form a cushion tire, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a vehicle-Wheel, the combination of the inner rim b, havingflanges b and b the outer rim d having flanges d and (1 the guard f; thebolts g passing through the siots c c, and flange d and adapted to movein a vertical direction and also slightly in a lateral direction, andthe springs e, substantially as described and for the purposesspecified;

} 4. In a vehicle-Wheel, the combination of the inner rim b; havingflanges b and b the outer rim (Z having flanges d and (P, the guard f,the bolts g, and the springs e, the said bolts pressing against theouter side of said springs when pressure is exerted on the springs,substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

5. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of the inner rim Z2, havingflanges b and b the outer rim (1, having flanges d and 01 the guard f,with means as described for binding the parts together and preventingthe outer rim from slipping around the inner rim, and the springs e,inclosed Within the said parts and having their free ends not abutting,and adapted to move in a longitudinal direction, substantially asdescribed and for the-purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereto affixed my signature, this 18tl1day ofJanuary, 1896, in the presence of two witnesses.

V ALBERT E. SPENCER. \Vitnesses N. L. FROTHINGHAM;

F. T. IVENTW'ORT'H.

